Switch operator



Filed July 24, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Q5) INVENTOR Sept. 9, 1930. A. M. MELAHN swn'cn OPERATOR Filed July 24. 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Fatented gept. 9,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SWITCH OPERATOR Application filed July 24,

This invention relates to switch operators of the type disclosed in Patent 1,686,633, designed more particularly for controlling the light in a closet or like place, and adapted 6 to be operated automatically by the opening and closing of a door.

Special objects of the invention are to insure proper operation or timing so that the switch will be surely turned off when the door is closed and turned on when the door' is opened; and to provide an actuating device adapted for operation of the usual or standard forms of pull switches and the like, which will be readily applicable to existing structures and will operate smoothly, easily and certainly with the door opening .and closing movements.

The foregoing and other desirable objects are attained by certain novel features of construction, combination and relations of parts as set forth in the following specification.

The drawing accompanying and forming part of the specification illustrates one of the present commercial embodiments of the invention, but it should be understood that the structure may be modified without departure from the true spirit and broad scope of the invention.

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view showing the actuator as it appears at the inside of a closet door; Fig. 2 is an elevation looking at the device from the back of the door; F ig. 3 is a broken horizontal sectional and part plan view as on line 33 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the actuator mechanism as on line 47-4 of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a plan of the blank from which the frame of the device is made.

In the illustration, the invention is shown applied to the operation of a pull switch 7 having an operating chain 8 and controlling the closet light 9. The pull chain is shown guided down between rolls 10 and held by a claw 11 on the upper end of a lever 12 which is pivoted at 13 between the sides 14 of a supporting frame and has its lower end disposed in the path of a lug 15 on the inner end of a bracket 16 attached to the back of the door 17.

To hold the lever and snap it into the on 1928. Serial No. 295,025.

and olf actuating positions of the switch, fiat springs 18, 19 are shown riveted at 20 to the outer ends of the lever pivot 13, at the outside of the frame plates 14 and carrying at their free ends rounded lugs or buttons 21, designed to be forced apart by the lead ing edge of the lever and to snap together or toward each other over the trailing edge of the lever, thus preventing the lever from dropping back to an intermediate or neutral position. Fig. 1 in particular illustrates this feature, showing how when the lug 15 swings the lever as indicated in the door closing movement, the spring'buttons 21 snap'behind the back edge of the lever and hold it in that position until the next door movement takes place, which in this case would be a door opening movement. This construction positively prevents a reversal of the switch, un less the switch is purposely reversed, for instance, by holding the lever in an intermediate position, where the chain is retracted sufliciently for the ratchet to take hold of a new tooth in the switch and then pulling on the chain above the actuator. Without special knowledge of how to do this, the switch can not be reversed, because when the lever is held to one side or to the other as illustrated in Fig. 1, the switch will have been pulled, but the chain will not have been allowed to retract suificiently for the ratchet to take hold of the next tooth, the retraction for this purpose taking place in the first part of the return movement of the lever, that is when the lever is moving from the inclined to a vertical position, and at which time the chain has a retractive mo vement sufiicient for engagement with the next tooth ofthe switch. Thus it will be seen that upon each movement. of the actuator lever, the chain will first be 90 relieved sufiiciently for the switch ratchet to retract into engagement with the next switch tooth and that thereafter the pull of the chain effected by the lever will operate to throw the switch, after which operation, the lever 95 will be again held by the spring lugs.

In order that the lug 15 may smoothly engage and readily operate the lever, said lug 1s preferably disposed substantially on a radial line from the axis of the door hinge as 100 projecting indicated in Fi 3 and the arm of the bracket which carries t is lug is drawn as an arc of this radius, "so that the lug in its arcuate movement will not slide out of engagement with the lower end of the lever. The lower end of the bracket is shown as developed into a coat hook or hooks 22: s 1

In Fig.5, the frame is shown as made from a single piece of sheet metal folded up along parallel lines 28 to form the sides 14, which sides at their forward edges are folded along lines 24 to form attaching tabs 25for screws 26 which fasten the frame on the back of the door casing. A portion of the blankbetween the parallel folding lines is shown as cut out at 27 to provide an openingfor passage of the lower end of the lever, which leaves bridging portions 28, 29 connecting the two side portions in their parallel relation. 1 The material between the attaching strips 25 is shown as slitted at 30,011 the folding line 24 and this intermediate section in the material is cross-slitted at 31, so that in the bending on lines 23, positioning lugs 32 will be formed out from the lower edges of the screw strips as shown in Fig. 1 to serve as gages hooking underneath the edge ofthe door frame. The chain guide rollers are shown as journalled on shouldered pins 33 riveted between the sides of the frame and the rivet construction of the shouldered pivot pin 13 serves as further means for fastening the two sides rigidly together. The spacing rolls 34 on the riveted pivot at opposite sides of the lever 12 serve to position the lever between the sides of the frame and in position to snap by the spring buttons.

The securing of the retaining springs at the outer sides of the frame and the guiding of the detent portions of the same in passages at 35 in the sides of the frame is a particularly. advantageous feature enabling quick assemblage of the parts in the proper relation and assuring maintenance of the detents in the proper holding position relative to the lever. The arcuate arm 16 of the bracket extending as it does above the coat hooks serves as a guard to prevent clothing hung on said hooks from contacting with or becoming entangled with the lower end of the switch actuating lever.

What is claimed is:

1. In apparatus of the character disclosed, a door carried part, a switch operating lever member, means for mounting the same on a door casing or the like in position to be swung back and forth by said door carried part, spring means for yieldingly retaining said lever member in either of the positions to which it may be swung by said door carried part and including opposed spring detents, a frame for mounting the lever member, said frame having passages for guiding said sprin detents into engagement with the lever mem er.

imarzo through said chain guide, a door actuated lever mounted in the frame beneath said chain guide and having means for holding the chain passed down through the guide and spring detent means for holding said'lever swung in a position toone side or the other of the chain guide.

' 3. Ina paratus of the character disclosed, a frame aving substantially parallel sides, a lever pivoted to operate between said sides, springs at the outside of said sides and detents for the lever carried by said springs, the sides having guide openings for passage of the detents into engagement with the lever.

4. In apparatus of the character disclosed, a frame having substantially parallel sides, a lever pivoted to operate between said sides, springs at the outside of said sides, detents for the lever carried by said springs, the sides having guide openings for passage of the detents into engagement with the lever, the pivot for the lever comprising a stud riveted between the sides of the frame and the detent springs being of fiat spring material secured by the heads of said riveted stud.

5. An actuator for a closet switch or the like, comprising a bracket for mounting on the back of a door and having an actuating lug arranged on substantially a radius of the door hinge, a switch actuating lever member, means for mounting the same on a door casing in position to be swung in opposite directions by the radially disposed bracket lug in the door opening and door closing movements and spring detent means for yieldingly retaining the lever in either position to which it is swung by the radial lug.

6. In apparatus of the character disclosed, a bracket for mounting on the back of a door, saidbracket having an arm extending as an arc of the door movement and provided with a lug arranged on substantially a radius of the door movement, a switch actuating n1en1- her and means for mounting the same on a door casing in position to be actuated by said radial lug.

7 In apparatus of the character disclosed, a bracket for mounting on the back of a door, said bracket having an arm extending as an arc of the door movement and provided with a lug arranged on substantially a radius of the door movement, a switch actuating member, means for mounting the same on a door casing in position to be actuated by said radial lug, the lower portion of the bracket being continued below the arcuate arm and the arm forming a guard over such lower portion of the bracket to prevent clothing or the like from becoming entangled with the switch operating member.

8. As a new article of manufacture, a

frame for a switch actuator, comprising a one-piece sheet metal structure having substantially parallel side portions, a part of the material between said side portions being removed leaving said sides connected by bridges and providing a space for a projecting switch actuating lever, the forward parts of said side portions extending outward and forming attaching strips and the material between said attaching strips extending to provide projecting gage lugs for engagement beneath the corner'edge of a door casing.

9, An actuator for a pull switch, comprising in combination with a pull switch having a pull chain, a lever member having a movement to first permit a retractive movement of the switch pull chain and to thereafter reverse the movement of said pull chain for actuating the switch and retaining means for yieldingly holding said lever at the end of its switch operating movement and against a. retractive movement of the pull chain.

10. In combination with a door carried part, a frame adapted for mounting on a door casing, a lever member pivoted on said frame and having a portion projecting in the path of movement of said door carried part, a pull switch operating connection engaged by said lever, a guide on the frame for said pull switch operating connection and spring retaining means for yieldingly holding said lever swung to opposite sides of a center extending through the guide for the switch operating connection and whereby said. lever will be automatically retained in the position to which it is shifted by each door opening or door closing movement.

11. As a new article of manufacture, a blank for the frame of a switch actuator, comprising a single piece of sheet metal, having side portions connected at the front and back by bridge portions, the material between said bridge portions being removed and the material in front of the forward bridge portion being out on intersecting angles to provide independently bendable parts at the forward edges of the side portions.

12. In combination with a pull switch, having an operating pull connection, a guide for said connection, a lever member engaged with said connection and having a swinging movement in opposite directions from a point at one side of the guide, toward the guide and then away from the guide, thereby to first enable a retractive movement of the pull connection and thereafter exerting a ulling movement on said ull connection an means for yieldingly retaining the lever member in the position swung to opposite sides of the guide and holding the pull connection against retractive movement.

In testimony whereof I alfix my signature.

AUGUST M. MELAHN. 

